dupont



2 sheets-shea; 1.

(No Model.)

A.F.B.DUPONT. HOLLOW 0R SOLID METAL BAR, WIRE, TUBE, &c.

No. 560,484. Patented May 19.; 1896.

V .IIIIIIIII M V J l N f2@ Mana/i MW wh- (No Mdel.) 2 sheets-sheet 2.

- A. F. E. DUPONT.

HOLLOW OE SOLID METAL BAE, WEEE, TUBE, Oc.

No. 560,484. Patented May 19, 1896.

fw@ @W lll/[4K NITED STATES "Maw HOLLOW-'0R s oLlD METAL BAR, WIRE, TUBE, aw.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 560,484, dated May 19, 1896.

Application filed September 12, 1894. Serial N0. 522,845. (No model.) Patented in France `Tanuary 25,1894, No. 235,798and I in England July 2l, 1894,No.14,0'78.

To all whom t may concern: l

Be it known that I, ADOLPHE FRANoIs EUGNE DUPONT, a citizen of the French Republic, residing at Paris, France, have invented certain Improvements in the Manufacture of IIollow or Solid Metal Bars,Wires, Tubes, dac., (for which patents have been granted in France, No. 235, 798,' dated January 25, 1894, and in England, dated July 2l, 1894, No. 14,078,) of which the following is a speciiication.

The object of my invention is the manufacture of bars, tubes, rods, doc., in continuous lengths, like lead pipe, from metals and alloys. This problem presents two principal obstacles, which are, first, the cooling of the metal in the molding-nozzle, and, second, the friction which is produced between the stream or current of gradually-cooling metal and the cooler walls of the channel and nozzle and those of the refrigerator exterior to the latter. My mode and apparatus overcome both of these obstacles at once.

It consists in the combination, with an electric current, which keeps the metal passing through the molding-nozzle at a temperature most suitable for conforming to the contour of the mold, of a current of water or other fluid which envelops all parts of the moving molded article as it issues from the moldingnozzle in a hot and still plastic state, this iiuid playing the double roll of a refrigerant and a conductor for the electric current.

Electric heating-currents have before been employed for maintaining metals at the melting-point, andV currents of fluid have also been before employed to cool articles continuously molded; but the combined use of these agents in the manner stated above has not been before employed so far as I am aware; and my invention, on the other hand, presents another peculiarity-namely, that the electric current, which has become useless, or indeed hurtful, when it shall have traversed and reheated the metal at the molding-nozzle is then derived outside of the moving mass of metal passing through the nozzle-and I utilv ize for effecting this derivation the fluid emlls in my apparatus the double function above explained.

In order to carry out this invention, I give to the channel which leads the metal to the Vnozzle a much greater cross-section than the nozzle itself and give to its proiile an accentuated curve. The electric current enters the metal in the channel and flows through the metal up to the nozzle. In its passage it encounters a resistance which begins at the point Where the channel commences to diminish, and attains its maximum Where it enters the nozzle, which is the most contracted part of the channel occupied by the molten metal. The metal is thus reheated progressively and gradually as it approaches the nozzle, and it attains its maximum temperature precisely at the point Where it receives its definite form., The intensity of the electric current is regulated in such a manner as to obtain the temperature most suitable for molding or giving form to the metal in the molding-nozzle.

The metal passes out from the nozzle in a more or less plastic state. After it passes out from the nozzle it traverses an annular orice,through which flows a current or stream of water or other cooling iluid,which envelops the hot metal completely and moves more rapidly than the latter. This fluid, to which I give, ordinarily, a large cross-section, does not offer the resistance to the flow of the electric current that is offered in the channel, and said iiuid serves to materially reduce the Vtemperature of the molded article and diverts theelectric current from the metal, said current being then returned to its source or grounded by means of 'a suitableconductor. At the same time the fluid absorbs the heat .from the molded article it envelops, and with trated an embodiment of the apparatus employed in carrying out my invention.

Figures l and 2 show an apparatus for making bars in which the flow of the metal is vertically downward, the former being a vertical axial section and the latter a transverse section in the plane indicated by line ab in Fig. l. Figs. 3 and 4 show a form of the apparatus adapted for producing tubes and solid bars of crossshaped transverse section, the iiow of the metal being vertical. Fig. 3 is a vertical axial section, and Fig. 4 is a transverse section in the plane indicated by line c d in Fig. 8. Y Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a form of theapparatus adapted for producing bars, rods, or wires, the flow of the metalbeing vertically upward. Fig. G is a sectional view of the apparatus ini which the metal iiows vertically upward. This form of the apparatus is adapted for producing tubes.

Referring -toFigs. 1 and 2, A is the channel which brings the molten metal to the molding nozzle or die E. This nozzle is a sort of die ordraw-plate,which imparts to thebar its proper dimensions and cross-sectional contour. Bis the refractory material `forming thewall of the channel A, and Gis the metal casing or armor -inclosing and reinforcing the material B. D is a ring of graphite arranged between ythe material B andthe nozzle E and `having `formed in ita part of the channel A where it contracts to unite with the moldingpassage G in the nozzle. This ringD serves as an electrode,and it is tightly embraced by a'metal clampingering D'. I is the tubular jacket `or wall of the vcooling device. The cooling fluid arrives by pipes connecting with the-opposite tangential `inlets U of 'the cooling device or refrigerator, which leads the fiuid into an annular'or circularl chamber F at Vthe upper end of the jacket I `and open to the passage G, with whichthe channel H in the jacket I .is axially alined. From the chamber F the fluid passesdown through the channel II laboutthe `hot bar, which moves down through the jacket, as indicated bythe dotted lines inFig. l. The jacket I `is inclosed within a chamber O,formed by an inclosing casing J, and into this chamber O water `is introduced at the inletK and drawn off at the outlet L, or vice versa. The objectof this `device is to cool the jacket I.

The chamber or reservoir O will not always be needed.

VV Vare deliveryLrollers for supporting and delivering the bar or article as `it emerges from thepassage H. In Vorder to passthe `electric current, it will suffice to connect the Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, A is the channel whiehleads the molten metal to the die. B is the refractory material about said channel, and C the metallic casing or armor. D D are two electrodes of graphite and D D' the metal bands thereon. E is the nozzle, of refractory material. P is the mandrel which serves to form the bore in the tube which is being formed or cast. The metal arriving by the horizontal channels A flows down through passages G' into the annular passage G in the nozzle E about the mandrel or core I. The several passages G merge into the single passage G, which contracts progressively down to the molding-outlet, as clearly shown. The molded article-a tube in this casepasses down from the outlet of the'nozzle into the cooling or refrigerating device below,

which is somewhatdiiferent from that shown in Fig. 1. Thefmolded tube first passes down through an annular chamber I-I', above the chamber O, and about a hollow cylinder T, secured' to the lowerendofa rod S, which `extends up throughanaxial bore R in the mandrel P and screws, atZ, into the upper plate of-a chamber Q, which surmounts the apparatus and has an inlet Q to supply a refrigerantfluid. This fluid flows from the chamber Q down through the passage or bore R, about the rod S, .and thence down -about the cylinder T andl through the annular space between it and the tube being cast, which latter is indicated in dotted lines inV Fig. Thus the tube is brought'into contact with the refrigerant fluid both nternal-lyand externally. The refrigerant fluid from v the chamber F flows down` exterior to the tube and that from chamber Q down through the tube. The chamberI-I is furnishedwith inspection-apertures covered by plates V.

The apparatus seen in Fig.- 5 is adapted for an upward ldelivery'and for the employment of gas orliquid sprayas a refrigerant. This form of theapparatus alsoshows a'horizont-al channel A, connecting at its side with the nozzleE. This construction differs from that of Fig. l in the employment of two electrodes D, placed at Aopposite sides of the lateral outlet A', leading to the-nozzle E. It differs also inthat the cooling device- `has a chamber F to relax the cooling-gas, for regulating the pressure, access to this chamberbeing provided by apertures V', which permit of the inspection of the -molding operation as the article emerges from the nozzle. It also permits the attendantto get at the emerging molded article to remove scale due to superiicial oxidation. Nf is an insulating-washer about the nozzle E.

Fig. 6 shows a form` of the apparatus for making tubes wherein the-flow is upward in a vertical direction. In this form of the apparatus the `mandrel or coreP is solid and nothollow, as that in Fig. 3. The cooling reservoir or chamber Oisomitted from this form of the apparatus. V represents the shell or wall about the chamber F, into which the IOO IIO

cooling fluid is admitted at the inlet U. N N are insulating-washers.

Having thus described my invention, I claiml. The herein-described method of making by a continuous :molding operation, bars, wires, tubes and the like from molten metal, which consists in passing the molten metal in a continuous manner through a shaping-nozzle to impart to it the proper cross-section, reducing the temperature of the molded article as it issues from the nozzle by enveloping it With a iiowing fluid refrigerant, and simultan eously passing through the metal on its Way to the molding-nozzle and in the said nozzle a current of electricity which keeps the metal passing through the nozzle at the proper temperature for molding, said current of electricity finally escaping to the fluid refrigerant about the molded article and thence returning to the source or the ground, thus providing a free and good conductor exterior to the nozzle whereby the metal after leaving the nozzle is relieved from the heating effect of the current, substantially as set forth.

2. In an apparatus for the continuous molding from molten metal, of bars, rods, tubes and the like, of uniform crosssection,the combination with the contracted molding nozzle or die and means for passing a current of electricitythrough the molten metal in said nozzle for reheating said metal at that point, of a refrigerating device for cooling the molded article as it emerges from said nozzle, said refrigerating device being situated at the point where the molded article emerges and comprising a casing about the path of the article furnished with an inlet and an outlet for the cooling iiuid, whereby the latter is made to flow in the manner of a sheath about the moving article to be cooled and forms a part of the electric circuit, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ADoLrnn rnANois YEUGNE DUPONT. Vitnesses z CLYDE SHRoPsHIRE, AUGUSTE MATHIEU. 

